


Cat Nap

by heliocentricity



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Aromantic, Fluff, Napping, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:48:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24119023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heliocentricity/pseuds/heliocentricity
Summary: Caspar and Linhardt chat about aromanticism and the enigma that is dating.
Relationships: Caspar von Bergliez & Linhardt von Hevring
Comments: 6
Kudos: 14





	Cat Nap

“I’ve never been so scared in my entire life! If only you’d been there to back me up. She started talking about marriage, for crying out loud! Turns out, she was just trying to say that I take her mind off of romance. But for a few minutes, I was convinced she was about to propose to me right then and there. Ha! Could you imagine? Dorothea, proposing to me?”

Linhardt yawned from where they lay tucked into Caspar’s arms. “You know, when I said you were free to take naps with me, Caspar, this is not what I had in mind.” 

It was a sunny afternoon, and Linhardt’s open window ushered in a warm draft of summer air, tinged with birdsong. The room was littered with dozens of books from the library and Linhardt’s latest research notes, but the last thing they had in mind was studying. 

“Sorry, sorry,” said Caspar. “I went off on a tangent there, didn’t I? I’ll be quiet now so you can sleep.”

Linhardt rubbed at their eyes and sat up a little. “That’s the problem, though. Now I’m too invested in your story. I need the resolution, or I won’t be able to rest at all.” 

Caspar worried at his lower lip. “Oh, uh, that was pretty much it,” he admitted. “Dorothea calmed me down, then I said that spending the rest of my life with her wouldn’t be the WORST thing in the world. But she knows I meant it platonically!” He frowned. “At least, I think she knows. She MUST have taken the hint when I turned down her almost-a-marriage-proposal... Right? Ugh! This romance stuff makes my head spin." Caspar clutched at one temple as if in pain. "Why isn’t being friends enough for some people?”

“That's a good question," agreed Linhardt. "I suspect it’s because some people crave stability and commitment, which they think a romantic relationship would provide. That’s just my personal theory, of course. If you ask me, romance is nothing but a sure-fire way to complicate a decent relationship. Besides, what does it even mean to be dating someone? Is it the process of courting someone? That's a little outdated, in my opinion.”

“I don’t have a clue. I bet there are still some nobles out there who think the idea of an official courtship is nice. But, hold on a second… You once said that you would be interested in dating someone, so there must be something about it you like.”

“That's true. Maybe if the right person asked me, I’d give it a shot. Of course, I’d make sure we had all the details hammered out first. I don’t want to sign up for just anything. Do they expect me to hold their hand in public, for instance? Would they respect my need to take naps alone sometimes? I wouldn't want to date someone whose needs are incompatible with my own.”

“Yeesh, when you put it like, it almost sounds like you’re forming a contract with someone. Doesn’t that, I don’t know, take the romance out of it?”

“Not necessarily. If you ask me, communication is the most important thing in any relationship. Even your friendship with Dorothea: If you hadn’t made it clear to her that you don’t see her in a romantic way, then you may have found yourself face-to-face with a genuine marriage proposal some day.”

Caspar shuddered. “You know, this whole romance thing is making me light-headed… Turning my mind off for an hour or so is starting to sound pretty good.” He flashed Linhardt a small grin. “I’m beginning to understand why you like sleeping so much.”

Linhardt rolled onto their side and nestled deeper into Caspar’s shoulder. “Good. Now, be quiet, and let’s nap.”

“OK.” Caspar sunk lower into the pile of pillows and closed his eyes. He succeeded in being silent for almost a full minute before blurting out, “Can I say just one more thing?”

Linhardt sighed as though it were a chore, but their light smile said otherwise. “If you insist.”

“I just… I really like what we have, you know?” Caspar began. “It’s simple, it’s flexible, and most importantly, it’s platonic. You’re one of my only friends who really gets it. I mean, even though Dorothea said she understood that I’m not into romance, I’m afraid there are still questions about it that she's avoiding, because it would seem too weird to ask. But it's not weird; I WANT to answer all of her questions. Still, I probably shouldn't sit her down for an hour-long seminar about aromanticism." He laughed, more an exhale than anything. "That’s more up your alley. 

“Anyway, the point is, I have friends who tend to assume we’re on dates whenever we spend time together, and it’s exhausting trying to set boundaries with them. It took literal years for Bernadetta to understand – and she already has an easier time understanding these sorts of things because she’s ace." He paused for a split-second, considering something. "Man, wouldn’t it be great if she were aro, too? Imagine the puns!” He sighed. “You know, sometimes, I wonder if I should have studied to be a sniper…” 

Suddenly, Caspar realized how utterly silent the room was, and he let his last sentence trail off. He glanced down and inspected Linhardt’s peaceful face. He poked their cheek experimentally. A few hairs fell out of place, but his friend did not stir.

“Oh, no, did I put you to sleep already?” he asked. "I mean, that's probably a good thing, considering we're here to nap, but..."

Caspar jumped as Linhardt gave his arm a small squeeze. “I’m still awake,” they reassured him, without opening their eyes. 

His shoulders relaxed. “Oh, good! Thanks for sticking around and listening to me go on about..." He waved one hand vaguely in front of his face. "...all this again.”

Linhardt hummed contentedly. “Any time." They waited to see if Caspar would say more before continuing, "Just so you know, I’m really going to sleep now, alright? No more false alarms. We can talk as much as you want later.”

Caspar nodded. “Right. Of course.”

“Good night, Caspar.”

“Sweet dreams, Lin.” Caspar paused, then added, “I love you!”

The corner of Linhardt's mouth curved into a smile. “I love you, too,” they said before dozing off.

**Author's Note:**

> I headcanon some characters as aro because of their color scheme or because I just think it would be neat, but I headcanon Caspar as aro because of his supports, especially the ones with Dorothea! My current goal in Three Houses is to unlock ALL of Caspar's supports and further convince myself that this boy is aromantic. (He's also trans, but that's a story for another fic.) Anyway, Linhardt is non-binary, because I said so. 
> 
> Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed! <3


End file.
